“Scarlett. Fuck!”
He gives over to it then and I’m not sure it’s a conscious choice. He’s rough, every move of his body agony and ecstasy at once for mine. This is Cristiano. This is him raw. Naked.
His thrusts are deep and hard and measured. He draws back to look at me, to watch me, his eyes almost black now.
“I’m going to come,” I say on a cry, a breath. But before the words are out, I’m coming. Coming around him, coming harder when I feel him throb, when I feel the first release, when I know he’s coming, too, coming inside me. Filling me up. And I cling to him, nails breaking skin, knowing he can take it. Knowing I’m safe with him.
Something has shifted. A metamorphosis has taken place.
And I know we’re not the same people we were just days ago. Not when it comes to each other. We’re different. This thing between us, it’s different.
9
Cristiano
I draw back looking down at her. Sweat trickles down my forehead and falls onto her cheek. She’s spent, eyes dazed, mouth slack.
But I’m not finished yet.
Taking hold of both her thighs, I straighten, stand to push her legs wide.
“Cristiano—” she starts, up on her elbows.
I shift my gaze from between her legs, to her eyes, then back. The room smells of sex. Smells of us.
And I’m a man starved.
I bend my neck, lean down to her.
She gasps when I lay the flat of my tongue on her, tasting us together, tasting her. I lick from hole to hole then close my mouth over her hard little nub and suck. All at once, I hear her whimper, feel her fingers pull my hair and her legs quake in my grip. I keep her wide open and suck harder until she comes again. Her body bucks as she cries out my name over and over, breathless and panting.
Only when she’s still, do I release her.
Only when she’s still, do I bring my lips to hers and kiss her again, let her taste us together.
Because tonight is our true wedding night.
Tonight, is when I claim my bride. My wife.
And tonight, I vow that if any man should touch her, hurt her, fucking look at her wrong, I will kill them. I will tear them apart limb from limb with my bare hands.
10
Scarlett
I’m exhausted. When he lifts me, I don’t fight him. I have no energy left. He carries me into the bathroom, to the shower, where he sets me on the bench. He strips off his clothes and switches on the water. He tests it before turning to me, lifting me again.
“Does it hurt?” he asks.
Which part? My sex feels raw, but I like that part. The welts, yes, they sting in the hot water, but I want the heat. I still feel the cold of the ocean at my core.
I shake my head. “It’s okay.” I notice his stiches, wonder about his shoulder. “I never asked you how you found me,” I say as he shampoos my hair, standing close enough that we’re touching at all times. I like it. Like him taking care of me like this. I’ll allow it for now. Just right now.
“The man who rented the boat to them had a GPS tracker installed on it. Probably to be sure the boat wasn’t stolen. They found it this time, which is probably why they were changing boats. But I knew where they were headed from previous trips. I don’t know if they’ll still use the location but it’s a start. I have men on their way now to investigate.”
“They ra…hurt some of the women in front of me,” I say, unable to say the word, hating the word. “Just used them like they weren’t human and then threw them aside, like you’d discard a used-up thing.” I see the face of the girl Marcus chose to punish because of me. I see her pain. I don’t push it away. I owe her that much.
Cristiano’s jaw tightens. He switches off the water and reaches out to grab a towel. He wraps it around me before grabbing one to tie around his hips.
“Did you see anyone else at the docks?”
“Marcus and my uncle seemed to be in charge. Well, Marcus at least. My uncle worked for him, as much as he wanted to believe he ran the Cartel side of things. Not that it matters anymore. He’s dead.”
“It still matters.”
“There was someone in the car with Marcus, but I never saw his face.” I look away for a moment, thinking. Trying to remember. “It’s fuzzy but I think it was him who put his jacket on my shoulders. No one else was wearing a jacket at least that I remember. Apart from my uncle and Marcus, the rest of the men looked like thugs.” I look back up at Cristiano. “I was naked. He took me from the bath.”